Using Origami in the Classroom Many many years ago as I was teaching a comparative social studies unit in a first grade classroom, I stumbled upon a Japanese art form and I have been hooked ever since then. Origami is the ancient art of folding paper. “Ori” is the Japanese word for folding and “kami” is the Japanese word for paper. Although Origami is known to be a Japanese Art, it is originally from China. The Chinese invented paper around 100 A.D. and when the invention spread to Japan some 500 years later, so did the art of folding paper. Throughout the years, what started as a compare a Japanese art form to a Lebanese art form lesson developed to encompass other subject areas. I was not only introducing another culture in the classroom, I was teaching basic math skills (geometry and fractions), I was teaching reading of words and diagrams, I was promoting cooperation and socialization, I was developing problem solving skills, and I was adding a fun factor into learning. So how does a square paper become a teaching tool? My students loved origami. It was a hands-on manipulative, that allowed them to explore shapes, sizes, lines of symmetry, congruency. It allowed them to construct and deconstruct models and talk about it. They were creating shapes and forms and applying concepts learned. The children were reading diagrams, learning math vocabulary, and they were problem solving in pairs and in groups difficult folds and finding other ways to fold a model. Some models were not perfect, but they were creative. Origami built patience and perseverance, and as the models unfolded, there was a sense of accomplishment and pride. It built fine motor skills, and it enhanced their memories. We were folding away practically in every unit: Cranes for peace in social studies, animals, paper planes and boats in science, hearts for Valentines, we even folded for a “How To” paragraph in writing. But the best part of it all was we were working together as a class and having lots of fun learning.
Many many years ago as I was teaching a comparative social studies unit in a first grade classroom, I stumbled upon a Japanese art form and I have been hooked ever since then.
Origami is the ancient art of folding paper. “Ori” is the Japanese word for folding and “kami” is the Japanese word for paper. Although Origami is known to be a Japanese Art, it is originally from China. The Chinese invented paper around 100 A.D. and when the invention spread to Japan some 500 years later, so did the art of folding paper.
Throughout the years, what started as a compare a Japanese art form to a Lebanese art form lesson developed to encompass other subject areas. I was not only introducing another culture in the classroom, I was teaching basic math skills (geometry and fractions), I was teaching reading of words and diagrams, I was promoting cooperation and socialization, I was developing problem solving skills, and I was adding a fun factor into learning.
So how does a square paper become a teaching tool?
My students loved origami. It was a hands-on manipulative, that allowed them to explore shapes, sizes, lines of symmetry, congruency. It allowed them to construct and deconstruct models and talk about it. They were creating shapes and forms and applying concepts learned. The children were reading diagrams, learning math vocabulary, and they were problem solving in pairs and in groups difficult folds and finding other ways to fold a model. Some models were not perfect, but they were creative.
Origami built patience and perseverance, and as the models unfolded, there was a sense of accomplishment and pride. It built fine motor skills, and it enhanced their memories.
We were folding away practically in every unit:
Cranes for peace in social studies,
animals, paper planes and boats in science,
hearts for Valentines,
we even folded for a “How To” paragraph in writing.
But the best part of it all was we were working together as a class and having lots of fun learning.